Sept. 13, 2006
FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- It would be hard to be more efficient than the Fairfield University field hockey team was on Wednesday afternoon. The Stags managed just two shots against the University of Massachusetts, but both attempts found the back of the net. UMass erased that two goal deficit in the final eight minutes with four goals to win the game.
The two teams played evenly for the first 10 minutes of the game with UMass holding a slight advantage in shot attempts. The Stags received their first break in the game when the Minutewomen were whistled for a penalty corner. Lauren Keith sent the ball to the top of the circle where Chelsea Hicks stopped the ball for Quinn, who one-timed the ball past the UMass goaltender Becky Letourneau for a 1-0 lead.
The Stags did not take their second shot until the second half when Quinn controlled a loose ball, pushed the ball to the right of the goaltender, and shot the ball into the open goal. UMass continued to apply pressure on the Stags, but the defense did not yield unitl the closing minutes.
UMass broke through when Erin Parker secured a rebound and redirected the ball past goaltender Elizabeth Thomas for a 2-1 score. Just three minutes later, the Minutewomen tied the game when Parker set up Lauren Gillespie to the left of the goal, making the score 2-2.
The visitors secured the lead with less than three minutes to go as Katelyn Orlando picked up the first of two assists for a 3-2 advantage. Down by one goal, Fairfield pushed all its field players into the offensive zone. A UMass defender stepped into a passing lane and sent the ball down field, which set up a four-on-one opportunity and resulted in the final goal of the game. Orlando set up the fourth goal with a pass to Gillespie, who completed the hat trick in four-plus minutes.
UMass finished the game with a 26-2 advantage in shots, while Thomas finished the game with 10 saves.
